District 4: A Tale of Two Lovers
by J.Casady
Summary: When a couple, Sofie and Jason, are picked to be in the 70th Hunger Games, their world is turned upside down. From the tiny fishing village of District 4 to the Big Metropolis that is the Capitol, they find themselves experiencing new things and learning more about love, life, and survival. Because in the Hunger Games survival is key.


**Chapter 1**

A chill crossed over my body. I awoke on my old hard mattress that was used too many times. I looked around thinking about what to do today, but then I remember about the reaping. I hate the reaping. The reaping is when one boy and one girl are taken from their family's and brought to the capital to fight in the annual Hunger Games, which remind us that the capitol controls us no matter what. The only good thing about the Hunger Games is that we get grain and oil if we put our name into the jar for picking. This year my family put my name in 50 times. A knock came form my door. I hear a voice; it's my father's.

"Wake, up! It's the reaping today. Get up!" I was wrong it was my brother's voice not my dad's since he went through puberty it sounds just like my dads.

'I'm up!" I yell through to the door so my brother, Jake, could hear me.

I looked around my shared room. My younger brother was on the ground tangled in a mess of sheets. I walk silently over to his motionless body.

"Time to face the reaping bro." I whisper in his ear, he then jumps out of his covers and slipped on them while coming back down. Then I laugh at him and he laughs with me.

"Get dressed you too!" Our mom yells though to door. I go to my drawer and get a simple pair of blue jeans and ratted old t-shirt that has been used one to many times. I opened the old wooden door and closed it behind me so my brother could get changed. I walked down the old hallway to the kitchen.

"You ready for the reaping, son?" My dad, Kevin, asked me while I was just getting some stale bread on the counter.

"I am but I feel like this is the year I'm going to get picked" I look up at the clock, it was time to go see Sofie. "I have to get going. I'll be back for the reaping don't worry!" Then I opened the rickety tattered wood door and entered the cool air out side. In district 4 most of the men are fishers. Every district gives something to the capital and district 4 give fish and boats. Nothing bad happens if you reach their quota in time and we have never let that happen. I walk down the cracked sidewalk passing many of my friend's houses. Even though that it's 10 o'clock hardly anyone is out. I feel like I'm walking in a ghost town. I reach the uneven brick center and slowly get into the center of town and I see a figure waiting on a bench looking up at the dreadful gray sky. I start to run closer and closer, once Sofie notices me we both start running with our feet clattering on the brick like two horses galloping in the Capital.

"I thought you wouldn't show," I said. I wrap my arms over her purple T-shirt and she kisses me on the cheek, her lips giving me the only warmth that could only be achieved by her.

"It feels like we haven't see each other in forever,"

I say. It is almost true; I had to leave school because we didn't have enough money to pay for all of us to go. I offered to give my school up so my younger brother would be able to attend. Her brownish red hair was very soft while I felt my fingers through it with it when we were hugging. We took each other's hand and we started walking though the street when we make it to the only fountain. We sit on the cracking cement wall that held the water in while we began catching up.

"So how have you been?" She asks, looking at me with her golden eyes that I love so much.

"Well. I worked at my dad's shop. Where I was asked relentless question about why I left school and why you weren't around much. Most people believed it to be because we broke up, but I assured them that was not possible. I've started to learn the ways of being a deckhand on those fishing boats. I figured it couldn't hurt to learn a few more skills while your being educated." I paused for a moment just taking in her eyes; just seeing her sent my heart ablaze with passion for her. These three months without communication lit a new spark between us. It was hard waiting for her but when she was here all of my burdens went away. "I guess that's all that was new in the last three months, you know this place, as dull as a flounder." She chuckled at this bad joke but I've been telling it since I was a child.

"I've been really busy, I guess I should tell you that I'm top of my class this year but I know it won't last long. The girls in my dorm assumed that we broke up when you left, so one night they tried to set me up with this guy after I assured them that we didn't brake up. This guy looked exactly like you but younger. Turns out they knew your little brother just enrolled and they wanted to play a joke on me. But besides for being busy. "

We both sat in silence before I brought up the worst thing possible. "It looks like I'm going to be picked today. I wish that it wasn't the reality, bu…." Sofie stopped me with a kiss. My body felt hot and I moved my hand to feel her cheekbone and her jaw while moving closer so our kiss would deepen. She moved back and whispered "I don't care, just as long as I am with you now. I've waited 3 months for this moment and no reaping is going to take you away from me." She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes as I hummed a soft melody that made us relax and not feel like our lives could end today. After a while she looked up at me and said she had to go and she ran off.

I quickly ran back home to see my mother franticly getting my younger brothers all cleaned up for the reaping. I walked into kitchen and my mother came out. "Ah, just in time, here!" My mom handed me a white dress shirt that she just ironed. I walk down the old hallway and opened my door to see my brother fallen asleep on the ground still in the same spot from this morning. Except something's different he's in his reaping clothing which is exactly the same thing I'm wearing. I walk over to him and lightly kick his side.

"What did you do that for?" My little brother yells up to me.

"You were going to be late for the reaping come on now mums waiting for us.

"Fine, It's not like I'm going to be picked anyway." Me brother said harshly.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that little bro." I said with a glair that made him get up and run out the door. I follow him slowly down the hall and into the kitchen. And see him all ready to watch his older brother be taken up stage to fight to the death. Since my older brother is twenty years old so he's off the hock I have two years left of being stuck to the seventeen year olds while my brother is in the fourteen year old line. My family and I walk down the old brick sidewalk, the same ones I walked on this morning, and I hear something in the distance I sounded like the anthem of Panem. It seamed as if we were late for the reaping. Only my family would be late.

As my family entered the mass crowds of the district we all separate into our age lines going one by one. I franticly look around for Sofie hoping that she is close by. I wait for about 10 minutes moving step by step until I get past the guard and go find her. I see her looking for me and our eyes catch each other. We rush toward each other and hold each other never letting go. The music suddenly stopped and everybody turned to the metal stage that a sole light was directed at. A woman came out, who must have been from the Capitol because she was dressed in a pink dress that made her unable to walk and her platinum blond hair was in 10,000 different curls. She approached the microphone and began the annual reaping ceremony.

"Happy Hunger Games everyone, and may the odds be ever in your favor. Now lets not waste anytime here and get on with the tribute for the ladies of district 4." Sofie looked up at me in horror and held me tighter wishing she were far away from here. Far away where the Capital wouldn't be able to touch us, to rule us, to silence us. Free of the Capital meant heaven. Silence engorged the audience as the women on stage, poked her long white fingernails into the jar. She picked a tiny piece of paper out and lightly pulled it open. A smirk entered her face and she said, "Please welcome your tribute Sofie Greenfield!" A loud scream came from her little sister and Sofie coldly let go of me and slowly walked in shock to the stage. I ran after her and two Capitol soldiers held me back while I yelled her name. She looked back and I saw she was about to cry. She trembled as she walked onto the stage. Every step seeming like she could fall. When she made it up the 10 steps she stood next to the women and stared blankly out into the audience. "Ok, time for the boys." The women said as she, yet again, put her long white fingernails into the jar. She pulled out a piece of paper. Right then my heart dropped and I knew it was going to be me. "Ladies and Gentlemen, your male tribute for district 4 is James Belver."

I knew it was going to be me, but what was worse was that Sofie let out a loud sob before covering her mouth. I looked across the crowd and they all had looks of condolence on their faces. I quickly walked to the stage and stood right next to Sofie's side.

"District 4 welcome your tribute and may the odds be ever in your favor!" After she said that we were hurried off into the building behind us and left in a sitting room together where I held Sofie in my arms letting her tears rain down on my shirt like a summer rain. We will get through this together I whispered while petting her hair while she calmed down. After a few minutes alone our families came in.

My parents come in first and my mother had bright red eyes that showed her pain and anger. She ran up to me and wrapped me in her arms to protect me from the Capitol. "You have to find a way to win and keep Sofie alive, you hear me! Keep her by your side. Always." As she says this I am shocked she says to keep Sofie by my side. She was always nice to her but never cared for her like this. I glanced over to Sofie while in my mothers embrace and see her father holding her while her mother was there, as ridged as a stone with fear causing her to close up. My brothers stood next to my dad and they all had a look of fear and strength. My little brother was looking right at me and I knew I had to make sure I came back to them along with Sofie.

The door busted open and two guards ushered for our families to vacate the sitting room. Like a gust of wind there were gone. Sofie and I were left along scared about what would happen but we knew we were going to stay alive no matter what the cost was. We sat down on the couch and tried to process everything that just happened. The love of my life and I were going to the Hunger Games. We had to find a way to be able to both stay alive, no matter what the cost is but if it came to it I as going to die for her. We were going to try to stick together throughout the game and before the games began.

**Hey everyone! **

**I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter. I will be hopefully uploading the next but next week but life is pretty crazy with exams before I head off on Christmas Break but by then I will be uploading more, hopefully. **

**It really helps me if you review though, I way I like to look at it is that when someone reviews, even a review that is as simple, like, I really liked it! Or even if you don't like it tell me! I really want to know what you like and don't like it. Think of it as being part of this story.**

**So please before you go off with the rest of your day just take a few seconds and click that review button below. **

**Have a great day.**

**J.J.J.J.**


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